My Books

My first book has now been published, and the second book is well on its way. Future books will examine the world around us – helping to make sense of it all – focusing primarily on the natural sciences, geography, and language.

You Have Died of Dysentery

The Making of the Oregon Trail

The Oregon Trail is perhaps the most famous educational computer software game ever created. Even today, references to the game can be found throughout popular culture. Familiar memes – such as “You have died of dysentery” and the tiny image of an ox pulling a covered wagon – can be found all over the internet.

The game has a long history, dating back to a simple timeshare version in the early 1970s. But when people make nostalgic references to The Oregon Trail, they usually refer to the 1985 Apple II version (or to the same product converted for IBM). This version was substantially different – and much more elaborate – than the earlier versions of the game. Virtually all of the famous Oregon Trail memes originated with the 1985 Apple II version.

As the lead designer and team leader for this famous version of The Oregon Trail, I am in a unique position to tell a story that has, until now, never been told. Therefore I am pleased to present my new book “You Have Died of Dysentery” – now available as an ebook on Amazon.com. Using my collection of original design documents and early drafts of the game, I vividly describe the many surprising twists and turns of the design process. As the tale unfolds, I connect each of the issues that the team faced to the broader principles of good product design – and I draw many valuable lessons about how to create a winning product.

Sneak Preview!

The table of contents of the entire book appears below. Any chapter that is marked with an arrow symbol () can be read here on the website!

Part A: The Context for the Project

Everything that led up to the decision in 1984 to create a new, re-imagined, and greatly expanded version of The Oregon Trail for the Apple II